Electrical connector



May 14, 19 3 Filed March 28. 1960 J. R. HALL ETAL 3,090,028

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K) H l2 W 26' 1s 22 A 26 .z .J INVENTORS 2 1s 0 q JAMES R. HALL ATTORN S y 1963 J. R. HALL ETAL 3,090,028

' ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 28, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS United States Patent 3,090,028 ELECTRECAL CONNECTOR James R. Hall and Walter F. Hennessey, Jr., Sidney, N.Y., assrgnors to The Bendix Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Fiied Mar. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 17,935 12 Claims. (Cl. 339-174) This invention relates to an electrical connector, and in the embodiment thereof illustrated herein particularly relates to a connector for multi-conductor cables in flat tened, tape form.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a novel electrical connector for multiple conductor cables.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved electrical connector which may be used to advantage with multiple conductors of the flat or tape type.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a connector of the type indicated which is quickly and easily operated, which is rugged and compact, and which adds but comparatively little to the weight of an assembly in which it is used.

Still a further object of the invention lies in the provision of an electrical connector for multi-conductor cables of the fiat or tape type which may with little or no modification be employed to connect two, three, or more cables of such type together.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanyling drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a view in plan of an illustrative embodiment of electrical connector made in accordance with the invention employed in the joining together of two multiconductor cables of the fiat or tape type, such two cables being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section through the connector of FIG. 1, the section being taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section through the connector of FIG. 1, the section being taken at right angles to the section of FIG. 2, the connector being shown in open position preparatory to the connection of the cables.

thereto;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section through the connector, the section being taken in the same manner as that of FIG. 3, the connector being shown closed and operatively engaging the conductors of two cables connected thereby; and

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the illustrative embodiment of connector, one side of the connector being shown closed and the other side of the connector being shown open, a portion of the tape cable cooperating with the open side of the connector being broken away for clarity of illustration.

In the illustrative embodiment, the connector is shown used with a multi-conductor cable of the flattened or tape type. Whereas the connector of the invention displays perhaps its maximum advantages when used with such type of cable, it is to be understood that the connector of the invention may also be used advantageously with cables of other types.

In FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5 there is shown portions of fiattened or ribbon-type cables joined end-to-end by the illustrative embodiment of connector. Such cables are designated 10 and 10, respectively. Each has a plurality of thin, ribbon-like conductor strips 11 which are sealed in spaced parallel relationship between upper and lower electrically insulating layers of material bonded to each other to form an insulating body 12. The illustrative cable shown may, for example, be one manufactured by the Tape Cable Company, Rochester, New York. The conductors 11 may be made of thin copper strips, and the body 12 may be made of clear, transparent thermoplastic material such as a polyester resin.

The electrical connector shown is generally designated by the reference character 14. Such connector has. a body 15 which, in the illustrative embodiment, is made of a strong, rigid material, such as a metal or a plastic material. Body 15 has a generally flat extended platelike bottom portion 16, there being upstanding end edge portions 17 and upstanding side edge portions 19 integrally attached to bottom 16. The thus described bottom, end, and side portions form a shallow extended space 20 within the body. Positioned within such space is an insert made up of a plurality of parallel resilient contact members and retaining means therefor.

Such insert comprises a lower contact retaining means generally designated 21, which has an extended plate-like portion 22 made of electrically insulating material such as a molded resin. Plate 22 lies within space 20 in the body of the connector and is retained therein in the position shown by being initially bowed so that the edges of plate 22 may be snapped within recesses in the inner edges of upstanding portions 17 of the body 15. Plate member 22 carries two sets of upstanding equally spaced parallel partitions 24 which are integrally connected therewith, the partitions being thus connected to, and fixedly mounted with respect to, the body 15. One set of said partition members is located adjacent one end edge of plate 22, and the other set of partition members is located adjacent the other end edge of the plate. Parti tions 24 separate the successive conductors 11, 11' when such conductors, from which the insulating material 12 has been stripped, are introduced into the connector in the manner shown. Partitions 24 are extended upwardly above the edge of portions 17 and 19 of the body 15 as shown at 25, in order to facilitate assembly of the cable in the connector and more fully to isolate each connector from its neighbor.

The respective partition members 24 of the two sets thereof are aligned in the direction of the conductors in the cables to be joined by the connector, successive partition members being spaced a distance generally equal to the distance between successive conductors in the cables. A single resilient conductor member 27, having two similar contact ends 26 is disposed in the contact retainer so that the ends 26 extend into corresponding spaces between partition members 24 of each set thereof. Member 27, which may be made, for example, of a resilient metal such as beryllium copper alloy, has a centrally located downwardly bent portion 29 which fits within a shallow groove 30 in the upper face of plate 22 so as to connect member 27 to contact retaining means 21 and to body 15, and thus to retain member 27 from appreciable movement along the direction of its length with respect to body 15. The contact-retaining means is completed by a block member 31 made of electrically insulating material such as a molded resin. Block member 31 has a centralupstanding body portion and two oppositely directed flange portions 33, the, upper surfaces of which lie at generally the same level as the upper surfaces of end portions 17 of body 15. Member 31, which is symmetrical about a central transverse vertical plane, has its lower surface positioned clampingly to engage the upper surfaces of the central portions of the con- 3 ductor members 27, as shown. Block 31 is retained on body 15 by means of screws 32 which extend through block 31 and are threaded into body 15 (FIGS. 1 and The thus described body 15, the plate-like portion 22 of member 21, and the block member 31 define two broad recesses which receive the contacts 26. Each such recess has upstanding edge portions at its inner and outer ends, such edge portions being formed by the corresponding flange portion '33 of block member 31 and the upstanding end portions 17 of the body 15, respectively. The side edge portions 19 of body 15 define the side edges of the contact-receiving recesses.

In the embodiment shown, the connector is designed to be mounted on a wall of the casing of an enclosed circuit element or combination of elements. Thus the connector is provided with a central peripheral flange generally designated 34 which may be attached to a wall of the casing as by bolts extending through the holes shown in the ends of the flange. When the connector is thus positioned, one of its Cable-connecting portions is disposed outwardly of the casing and the other of such portions is disposed inwardly of the casing. In the embodiment shown, the flange 34 is made up of a main portion 35 which is integral with block 31, and of a lower portion 35' integral with body 15. The two flange portions meet along the vertical lines 36 (FIG. 2).

In order to form a substantial seal between the cables and 10 and the connector, the body of the latter is provided with rubber-like inserts having a portion 37 extending along the upper edge of portion 17 and portions 39 extending along the upper edges of edge portions 19 of the body 15 of the connector. Further rubber-like inserts 40 are disposed in the upper edge of each of the flanges of block member 31.

Each end of the connector is provided with a cap member 41, each of the cap members being pivotally retained upon block member 31 by means of pintle pins 42 extending through ears on the block member into the body 44 of cap 41. Body 44 is made of tough rigid electrically insulating material such as molded resin, and has on its inner or lower surface a plurality of spaced parallel partition-like presser members 45. Members 45 have such thickness and are so spaced from each other as fairly accurately to fit within the spaces presented between successive partition members 24. Members 45 project downwardly or inwardly in their central portion so as to have a generally flat zone of substantial length which confronts and overlies the upwardly inclined outer end portion of contact members 26. Members 45 have such vertical dimension or depth, and contact members 26 are of such relaxed contour that when the caps 41 occupy the closed position thereof shown in FIG. 4 the conductors 11, 11' are forcibly engaged between contact 26 and the lower surface of presser member 45.

Each cap 41 has a rounded nose portion 46 which overlies the insert 40 on its respective flange 33 of block 31. When the cap is swung into the closed position of FIG. 4, however, nose portion 46 approaches insert 40 and forcibly engages it and forms a seal with such insert.

To insure the correct spacing of the conductors in the cable at the ends thereof, and also to provide gripping means therefor, the insulation is removed only from the portion of the cables through which the portions of separator members 24 project. Thus as shown in FIG. 3, in initially mounting the cables, the slotted, stripped portions thereof are hooked over the upper portions 25 of the separators 24, the forward, unslotted and unstripped end of the cable being positioned inwardly of the portions 25 of separators 24 and overlying insert 40. When the cover portions 41 are placed in closed position, such forward end of the cable is gripped between insert 40 and the nose 46 of the cover portion. Thus the cables are forcibly retained from being pulled out lengthwise from the connector.

In order to retain the caps 41 of the connector in closed position, each is provided with spring latch means generally designated 47. Such means takes the form of an extended resilient metal plate which is attached to the cap as by central rivets 48. The ends of the latch, which are thus free to flex vertically, are bent downwardly into generally semi-cylindrical form 49 to form an inwardly directed edge portion 50. Edge portion 50 lies beneath and forcibly resiliently engages the lower edge of a ledge 51 on side edge portion 19 of body 15. The caps are thus securely held against fortuitous disengagement. They may, however, be readily disengaged by thrusting them upwardly and outwardly as by pressing upon the thumb tab 52 projecting outwardly from the edge portion 59.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a cable in the form of a laterally extended flexible insulating tape having a plurality of generally parallel spaced flat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein, and an electrical connector connected to said cable, the conductors of the cable having portions positioned at the cable-connecting zone of the connector bared to make electrical connection with the connector, the cable having a plurality of parallel slots through the insulating material thereof between the conductors at the connecting zone, the portions of the cable on both sides of said connecting zone being unslotted, the connector having a generally flat connector body spanning the Width of and lying across the cable at said connecting zone, said body having a plurality of elongated upstanding parallel electrically insulating partitions projecting from one side thereof, the partitions having roots secured to the body, a plurality of spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted on the body in general alignment, there being a contact member positioned in each space between the successive partitions, the partitions having upper free edge portions extending through the slots in the cable at its connecting zone, and means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors downwardly into contact with the contact members and to retain the upper free edge portions of the partitions from escape from the slots in the cable.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body of the connector has a broad recess therein, the roots of the partitions and the contact members are disposed in such recess, the body has edge portions thereon bordering the recess, the edge portions at the inner and outer ends of the recess have their upper edges lying substantially in a plane, and the means for pressing the conductors downwardly into contact with the respective contact members comprises a cover hinged to the body and having a portion thereof cooperating with the upper surface of the edge portion of the body inwardly of the recess so as freely to receive an unslotted portion of the cable therebetween when the cover is open and clampingly to engage such portion of the cable when the cover is closed, conductorpressing members mounted on the cover and lying between the partitions when the cover is closed, and means to retain the cover in closed position.

3. In combination, a plurality of cables in the form of laterally extended flexible insulating tapes having a plurality of generally parallel spaced flat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein and an electrical connector connecting said cables together, the conductors of each of the cables having portions positioned at the connector bared at a connecting zone to make electrical connection with the connector, the cables each having a plurality of parallel slots through the insulating material thereof between the conductors at its connecting zone, the portions of each of the cables on both sides of said connecting zone being unslotted, the connector having a generally flat connector body with a plurality of cable-connecting zones, each of said cable-connecting zones of the body spanning the width of and lying across the respective cable at its connecting zone, said body having at each cable connecting zone a plurality of elongated upstanding parallel electrically insulating partitions projecting from one side thereof, the partitions having roots secured to the body, a plurality of spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted on the body at each cable-connecting zone thereof in general alignment with a contact member positioned in each space between the successive partitions, means electrically connecting the respective contact members at the plurality of cable-connecting zones of the body the partitions having outer free edge portions extending through the slots in the respective cable at its connecting zone, and means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors downwardly into contact with the contact members at the respective cable-connecting zones and to retain the upper free edge portions of the partitions from escape from the slots in the cables.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body of the connector has a broad recess therein at each of the cable-connecting zones thereof, the roots of the partitions and the contact members at such zones being disposed in the respective recess, the body has edge portions thereon bordering each recess, the edge portions at the inner and outer ends of each recess have their upper edges lying substantially in a plane, and the means for pressing the conductors downwardly into contact with the respective contact members comprises covers hinged to the body, each cover having a portion thereof cooperating with the upper surface of the edge portion of the first body inwardly of the respective recess so as freely to receive an unslotted portion of the cable therebetween when the covers are open and clampingly to engage such portions of the cables when the covers are closed, conductor-pressing members mounted on the covers and lying between the partitions at the respective cable-connecting zones when the covers are closed, and means to retain the covers in closed position.

5. In combination, a cable in the form of a laterally extended flexible insulating tape having a plurality of generally parallel spaced flat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein, and an electrical connector connected to said cable, the conductors of the cablue having portions positioned at the connector bared at a connecting zone of the cable to make electrical connection with the connector, the connector comprising a generally flat connector body spanning the width of and lying across said cable, the body having a broad'recess therein, the body having upstanding edge portions at the inner and outer ends of the recess and along the sides of the recess, said inner and outer edge portions having substantial width and lying generally in a common plane, a plurality of generally aligned spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted in the recess and secured to the body, means to insulate and isolate at least some of the contact members from the others comprising spaced parallel electrically insulating partitions having root portions in the recess and secured to the body, said partitions defining spaces receiving the contact members and the bared portions of the conductors engaging the contact members, and means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors of the cable downwardly into said spaces so as to engage the contact members comprising a cover adapted to span the recess, conductor-pressing members mounted on the cover and lying between the partitions when the cover is closed, means to retain the cover in closed position, the

cover being pivotally connected to the body on an axis disposed inwardly beyond and above the upper surface of the body beyond the inner end of the recess, said cover having a cam-like nose portion overlying the said upper surface of the body beyond the inner end of the recess,

the cover being rotatable from a connector-open, generally upstanding position to a position in which it lies parallel to and closely confronts the body so as to close the recess therein, the nose portion of the cover having such con figuration that when the cover is in open position the portion of the cable inwardly beyond the recess in the body is freely receivable between it and the confronting surface of the body, and so that when the cover is in closed position such portion of the cable is clamped between the nose portion of the cover and the said upper surface of the body.

6. In combination, a plurality of cables in the :form of laterally extended flexible insulating tapes having a plurality of generally parallel spaced flat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein, and an electrical connector connecting said cables, the conductors of each of the cables having portions positioned at the connector bared at a connecting zone to make electrical connection with the connector, the connector comprising a generally flat connector body spanning the width of and lying across the said cables, the body having a broad recess therein at each of a plurality of cable-connecting zones of the body, the body at each of its said zones having upstanding edge portions at the inner and outer ends of the respective recess and along the sides of the recess, said inner and outer edge portions having substantial width and lying generally in a common plane, a plurality of generally aligned spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted in each recess and secured to the body, means electrically connecting the respective contact members at the plurality of cableconnecting zones of the body, means to insulate and isolate at least some of the contact members in each recess from the others comprising spaced parallel electrically insulating partitions having root portions in the recess and secured to the body, said partitions defining spaces receiving the contact members and the bared portions of the conductors engaging the contact members, means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors of the cable downwardly into said spaces so as to engage the contact members comprising covers adapted to span each of the recesses, conductor-pressing members mounted on the covers and lying between the partitions at each of the cable-connecting zones of the body when the covers are closed, and means to retain the covers in closed position, the covers being pivotally connected to the body on axes disposed inwardly beyond and above the upper surface of the body beyond the inner ends of the respective recesses, said covers each having a cam-like nose portion overlying the said upper surface of the body beyond the inner end of the respective recess, each cover being rotatable from a connector-open, generally upstanding position to a position in which it lies parallel to and closely confronts the body so as to close the respective recess therein, the nose portion of each cover having such configuration that when the cover is in open position the portion of the cable beyond the respective recess in the body is freely receivable between it and the confronting surface of the body, and so that when the cover is in closed position such portion of the cable is clamped be tween the nose portion of the cover and the said upper surface of the body.

7. In combination, a cable in the form of a laterally extended flexible insulating tape having a plurality of generally parallel spaced fiat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein, and an electrical connector connected to said cable, the conductors of the cable inwardly of the end of the cable having portions positioned at the connector bared at a connecting zone of the cable to make electrical connection with the connector, the connector comprising a generally flat connector body spanning the width of and lying across said cable, the body having a broad recess therein, the body having upstanding edge portions at the inner and outer ends of the recess, said inner and outer edge portions having substantial width and lying generally in a common plane, a zone at the end of the cable overlying the inner edge portion of the body and a zone of the cable outwardly of the bared portions of the conductors overlying the outer edge portion of the body, a plurality of generally aligned spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted in the recess and secured to the body, means to insulate and isolate at least some of the contact members from the others comprising spaced parallel electrically insulating partitions having root portions in the recess and secured to the body, said partitions defining spaces receiving the contact members and extending parallel to and receiving the bared portions of the conductors engaging the contact members, means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors of the cable downwardly into said spaces so as to engage the contact members comprising a cover adapted to span the recess, conductor-pressing members mounted on the cover and lying between the partitions when the cover is closed, and means to retain the cover in closed position, the cover having elongated portions overlying the inner and outer edge portions of the body when the cover is closed and cooperating with such edge portions of the body to clamp the cable between the body and the said elongated portions of the cover at said zones of the cable.

8. A combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body has upstanding edge portions along the sides of the recess, the cover has edge portions closely overlying and confronting the edge portions of the body along the sides of the recess when the cover is closed, and comprising gasket means lying along at least one of the upper surfaces of the body at the sides and inner and outer ends of the recess and the parts of the cover overlying said upper surfaces, said gasket means cooperating with the cable, the body, and the cover to seal the space within the recess when the cover is closed.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gasket means at the inner end of the recess lies along the upper surface of the body and opposite the elongated clamping portion of the cover at said inner end of the recess, the gasket means at the inner end of the recess clampingly engaging the end of the cable.

10. -In combination, a plurality of cables in the form of laterally extended flexible insulating tapes having a plurality of generally parallel spaced fiat ribbon-like conductors mounted therein, and an electrical connector connecting said cables, the conductors of each of the cables inwardly of the inner end thereof having portions positioned at the connector bared at a connecting zone to make electrical connection with the connector, the connector comprising a generally flat connector body spanning the width of and lying across the said cables, the g body having a broad recess therein at each of a plurality of cable-connecting zones of the body, the body at each of its said zones having upstanding edge portions at the the cables overlying the inner edge portion of the respective connecting zone of the body and a zone of such cable outwardly of the bared portions of its conductors overlying the outer edge portion of said zone of the body, a plurality of generally aligned spaced parallel resilient contact members mounted in each recess and secured to the body, means electrically connecting the respective contact members at the plurality of cable-connecting zones of the body, means to insulate and isolate at least some of the contact members in each recess from the others comprising spaced parallel electrically insulating partitions having root portions in the recess and secured to the body, said partitions defining spaces receiving the contact members and extending parallel to and receiving the bared portions of the conductors engaging the contact members, means to press the bared portions of the respective conductors of the cables downwardly into the spaces in the respective recess in the body so as to engage the contact members comprising a plurality of covers, each of the covers being adapted to span the respective one of the recesses, conductor-pressing members mounted on the covers and lying between the partitions at each of the cable-connecting zones of the body when the covers are closed, means to retain the covers in closed position, each of the covers having elongated portions overlying the inner and outer edge portions of the respective recess of the body when the cover is closed and cooperating with such edge portions of the body to clamp the cable between the body and the said elongated portions of the cover at said zones of the respective cable.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein the body has upstanding edge portions along the sides of each of the recesses, each of the covers has edge portions closely overlying and confronting the side edge portions along the sides of the respective recess when the cover is closed, and comprising gasket means lying along at least one of the upper surfaces of the body at the sides and inner and outer ends of each of the recesses and the parts of the cover overlying said upper surfaces, said gasket means cooperating with the cables, the body, and the respective covers to seal the space within each of the recesses when the covers are closed.

12. A combination as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gasket means at the inner end of each of the recesses lies along the upper surface of the body and opposite the elongated clamping portion of the cover at said inner end of the recess, the gasket means at the inner end of the recess clampingly engaging the end of the cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,564,225 Farmer Dec. 8, 1925 2,437,339 Webster Mar. 9, 1948 2,673,968 Smith Mar. 30, 1954 2,730,683 Ayers et al Jan. 10, 1956 2,824,291 McLean et al. Feb. 18, 1958 2,888,658 Welch May 26, 1959 2,968,016 Angele Jan. 10, 1961 3,017,602 Little Jan. 16, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 700,490 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1953 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CABLE IN THE FORM OF A LATERALLY EXTENDED FLEXIBLE INSULATING TAPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY PARALLEL SPACED FLAT RIBBON-LIKE CONDUCTORS MOUNTED THEREIN, AND AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CONNECTED TO SAID CABLE, THE CONDUCTORS OF THE CABLE HAVING PORTIONS POSITIONED AT THE CABLE-CONNECTING ZONE OF THE CONNECTOR BARED TO MAKE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH THE CONNECTOR, THE CABLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SLOTS THROUGH THE INSULATING MATERIAL THEREOF BETWEEN THE CONDUCTORS AT THE CONNECTING ZONE, THE PORTIONS OF THE CABLE ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID CONNECTING ZONE BEING UNSLOTTED, THE CONNECTOR HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT CONNECTOR BODY SPANNING THE WIDTH OF AND LYING ACROSS THE CABLE AT SAID CONNECTING THE WIDTH SAID BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED UPSTANDING PARALLEL ELECTRICALLY INSULATING PARTITIONS PROJECTING FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF, THE PARTITIONS HAVING ROOTS SECURED TO THE BODY, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL RESILIENT CONTACT MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE BODY IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT, THERE BEING A CONTACT MEMBER POSITIONED IN EACH SPACE BETWEEN THE SUCCESSIVE PARTITIONS, THE PARTITIONS HAVING UPPER FREE EDGE PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOTS IN THE CABLE AT ITS CONNECTING ZONE, AND MEANS TO PRESS THE BARED PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE CONDUCTORS DOWNWARDLY INTO CONTACT WITH THE CONTACT MEMBERS, AND TO RETAIN THE UPPER FREE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE PARTITIONS FROM ESCAPE FROM THE SLOTS IN THE CABLE. 